Forward thinking pays off

Just last year, an empty lot sat at 706 Bloomington Road in Champaign. The property's owners wanted to build a commercial space to lease out, but they wanted to be sure to maximize their investment by building a facility with spaces that could be quickly and profitably leased. Instead of waiting to employ a real estate agent when the spaces were built and available, they came to Todd Salen at SVN / Ramshaw for advice on what type of space they should build—well before breaking ground. Getting that early guidance has made a huge difference.

"We started talking with Todd months before the building was constructed," said Kip Pope, one of the property owners. "His input was invaluable in configuring the spaces. Then he got them filled."

Their first tenant, Urban Elevator Service, signed almost immediately after construction, taking 1,500 square feet of the roughly 5,000 square-foot building.

Soon after, Newton Cleaning Service leased 1,500 square feet and Achieve Mobility took 1,900 square feet, and the building was full.

"We were able to provide guidance on what would lease in that area," Salen said. "It looks like we'll continue this arrangement for some future projects as well, so this type of service certainly pays off for both sides."